Blaya @ To Manage Burson-Marsteller U.S. Hispanic Practice In New York.

Denise Blaya has joined Burson-Marsteller as a Manager in the U.S. Hispanic Practice at the firm’s New York headquarters. Ms. Blaya, who was previously at Ketchum Multicultural Marketing, will be responsible for developing and managing strategic communications engagements for existing and new clients in the northeast region.

“We are delighted to have Denise join our growing Hispanic practice,” said Jorge Ortega, managing director of Burson-Marsteller’s U.S. Hispanic Practice. “Denise’s expertise and knowledge of the Hispanic market in New York, coupled with our national network of bilingual and multicultural professionals, reinforces our commitment to this market and the increasing opportunities we have to help clients understand and manage communications in this segment.”

Ms. Blaya has previously managed programs for a vast portfolio of clients including The Home Depot, Yahoo! en Español and Pfizer Inc. At Pfizer, she helped launch Sana La Rana, the company’s premiere Hispanic health education program. Under her direction, Sana La Rana was nominated for a 2004 PRWeek Award for Multicultural Marketing Campaign of the Year, 2003 SABRE Award and 2004 Big Apple Award.

“I am honored to join a team and firm composed of dedicated experts who bring passion, knowledge and service excellence to their work,” said Ms. Blaya. “The Hispanic community expands and evolves daily, presenting clients with new challenges and opportunities. As more companies tap Burson-Marsteller for their strategic insights on reaching this important segment, I am excited to add my expertise to this world-class team.”

Before joining Ketchum, Ms. Blaya was with Fleishman-Hillard (FH) in Miami where she managed various accounts in the company’s U.S. Hispanic and Consumer practices. Her clients included the Mexico Tourism Board, Procter & Gamble and the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Prior to joining Fleishman-Hillard, Ms. Blaya worked at Edelman Public Relations in Miami working with various U.S. companies operating in Latin America, including Global Crossing, United Parcel Service and Hewlett-Packard.